Wind (book)/Chapter 21

"At first I thought that ShadowClan was the enemy. But I was wrong. No, the enemy was much closer all along. And I will not put up with traitors living on RiverClan territory! Last night, Duskfur, Mothwing, and Icewing were Clanmates, but today they are enemies. And enemies of RiverClan will be killed!"

— Splashtail on punishing his opposition in Wind, page 269

Wind (book)
Chapter number:	21 (of 23)
Page numbers:	258-270
Point of View:	Nightheart
Chronology

Below contains in-depth information for chapter twenty-one of Wind (book). If you are looking for a shorter summary of the entire book, please check the main article.

Chapter Number: 21 (of 23)

Page Numbers: 258-270

Chapter description

Nightheart is leaving ThunderClan camp with his patrol, but cannot due to being interrupted by Gorseclaw and Sneezecloud. The two RiverClan warriors are with Wasp, and Nightheart is relieved to see the young cat alive. Nightheart tries to greet Wasp but is shoved by Sneezecloud. After Nightheart hisses and crouches at the enemy warrior, Squirrelstar stops the fight, and angrily demands why Sneezecloud would attack her warrior in his own camp. Sneezecloud snarls that Wasp had been caught trespassing on RiverClan land, but Wasp protests that he wasn't trespassing, but in fact was trying to join their Clan. Nightheart and Sunbeam join the growing group of ThunderClan warriors to watch what is to happen next. Squirrelstar says that the RiverClan cats are not welcome, and demands they leave. They obey, but Gorseclaw passes on a message from Splashtail, saying that if another possible spy sets paw on their territory, they will be appropriately punished. This makes Nightheart nervous, as his patrol was about to leave to spy themselves. Squirrelstar and Ivypool then force the RiverClan cats to leave, and they angrily obey.

Squirrelstar scolds Wasp for his bad choice and trespassing, and the park cat understands. He had just wanted to join RiverClan, but the fiasco made him realize that he isn't cut out to be a warrior after all, and now he wants to return home to the park. Squirrelstar praises Wasp's decision. Tigerstar, who Nightheart had forgotten was in camp the whole time, remarks how Squirrelstar had a busy morning, and decides to leave her Clan be. He adds that Gorseclaw and Sneezecloud were decent cats before being corrupted by Splashtail, and hopes that they will revert back to their good nature once Splashtail is driven out. Tigerstar leaves, and then the mentors and apprentices return from training.

Wafflepaw bounds up to Wasp, relieved that his friend is okay, and Bayshine mentions seeing the RiverClan cats. Squirrelstar is glad that Wafflepaw returned, so that he can say goodbye to Wasp. Wafflepaw is upset, and thinks that his friend is being driven out, but Wasp tells the apprentice that he is leaving on his own terms. Wasp and ThunderClan exchange goodbyes. Wasp says that if RiverClan was its true self, then maybe he could have joined, but he knows it is impossible. Bayshine is concerned that there will be dangers, but Nightheart has faith in Wasp. Wafflepaw protests that Wasp is hurt, and the medicine cats check him over and give him travelling herbs once they judge him fit to leave. Wasp says his farewell and leaves ThunderClan. Nightheart then asks Squirrelstar if she still wants him and his patrol to go to RiverClan, and the leader says yes.

Nightheart, along with Sunbeam and Frostpaw, cross through WindClan territory to get to RiverClan's. Sunbeam ask how Frostpaw has been doing for the past few moons, empathizing with all the apprentice has been through, Frostpaw replies that she is okay, but wishes that she can do more to help her Clan. Nightheart reassures Frostpaw, saying that what they are doing will help. The patrol goes by the horseplace, where Sunbeam longingly looks in the direction of her kin's camp, saying to her mate how worried she is. Nightheart says that maybe they can talk to Squirrelstar about the situation. At last, the patrol arrives at the RiverClan border, and are unable to scent any cats. Nightheart gives the signal to go ahead, and Frostpaw leads, telling the patrol not to make a sound.

The patrol makes their way near RiverClan's camp, and hear the vicious training that Splashtail is subjecting his warriors to. The RiverClan cats are training too fiercely, with claws unsheathed. Nightheart also observes how cluttered and unhygienic the camp is, and is disgusted at how Splashtail is putting fighting over rebuilding from the storm. Splashtail stops the training session, and addresses his Clan. The false leader states how traitors are threatening RiverClan, and that once the Clan finds them, the traitors will pay and suffer. Nightheart wonders who these traitors are, and thinks that Splashtail is referring to ShadowClan. Frostpaw doesn't think so, saying that Splashtail knows exactly where to find ShadowClan. The apprentice points out that Duskfur, Icewing, and Mothwing are missing. Nightheart scans the camp, and realizes that Frostpaw is correct. Splashtail then confirms this, telling RiverClan that the resisting cats have violated his orders, and that they must be killed for their betrayal. He says that these cats are the enemy, not ShadowClan. The RiverClan do not yowl support, but instead silently look at their paws. Then, a voice of a she-cat pierces through the others, yowling her support, and saying how RiverClan's enemies must be dealt with. Nightheart is horrified when he recognizes the voice, and shares a stunned stare with Sunbeam once he realizes that the cat is Berryheart.

Characters

Major

• Nightheart
• Sunbeam

Minor

• Wasp
• Sneezecloud
• Gorseclaw
• Squirrelstar
• Ivypool
• Birchfall
• Stormcloud
• Shellfur
• Tigerstar
• Bayshine
• Finchlight
• Bristlepaw
• Graypaw
• Wafflepaw
• Alderheart
• Jayfeather
• Frostpaw
• Splashtail
• Graypaw
• Breezeheart
• Berryheart

Mentioned

• Duskfur
• Sparrowtail
• Hollowspring
• Mothwing
• Icewing